LESSON 1 GEARS

Unit 1 – Spur Gears

Overview

This chapter covers spur gear, the least expensive to manufacture and the most
commonly used gears.

Learning Objectives:

After successful completion of this module, the students should be able to:
1. To understand and apply principles of gear design to spur gears and industrial spur gear
boxes.

Course Materials:

Belt, chain and gear drives are often called ‘mechanical’ drives. A mechanical drive is
defined as a mechanism, which is intended to transmit mechanical power over a certain
distance, usually involving a change in speed and torque. In general, the mechanical drive is
required between the prime mover, such as electric motor and the part of the operating
machine. A mechanical drive is used on account of the following reasons:
• The torque and speed of the machine are always different than that of electric motor or
engine. Machines usually run at low speed and require high torque. For example, in
case of overhead travelling crane, the motor runs at 1440 rpm while the speed of the
rope drum is as low as 20 rpm.
• In certain machines, variable speeds are required for the operation, whereas the prime
mover runs at constant speed. For example, in case of lathe, the motor runs at constant
speed, while different speeds are required for the spindle of the chuck to turn the jobs of
different materials and with different feeds and depth of cut.
• Standard electric motors are designed for uniform rotary motion. However, in some
machines like shaper or planer, linear motions with varying velocities are required.

Gear Drives
Gears are defined as toothed wheels or multilobed cams, which transmit power and
motion from one shaft to another by means of successive engagement of teeth. Gear drives
offer the following advantages compared with chain or belt drives:
• It is a positive drive and the velocity ratio remains constant.
• The center distance between the shafts is relatively small, which results in compact
construction.
• It can transmit very large power, which is beyond the range of belt or chain drives.
• It can transmit motion at very low velocity, which is not possible with the belt drives.
• The efficiency of gear drives is very high, even up to 99 per cent in case of spur gears.
 • A provision can be made in the gearbox for gear shifting, thus changing the velocity ratio
over a wide range.

Terminology of Spur Gears

The terminology of gears includes a number of terms peculiar to gears and it forms the
basis of gear language.

1. Pinion – A pinion is the smaller of the two mating gears.

2. Gear – A gear is the larger of the two mating gears.
3. Velocity Ratio – Velocity ratio is the ratio of angular velocity of the driving gear to the
angular velocity of the driven gear. It is also called the speed ratio.
4. Transmission ratio– The transmission ratio (i’) is the ratio of the angular speed of the
first driving gear to the angular speed of the last driven gear in a gear train.
5. Pitch Surface – The pitch surfaces of the gears are imaginary planes, cylinders or
cones that roll together without slipping.
6. Pitch Circle – The pitch circle is the curve of intersection of the pitch surface of
revolution and the plane of rotation. It is an imaginary circle that rolls without slipping
with the pitch circle of a mating gear. The pitch circles of a pair of mating gears are
tangent to each other.
7. Pitch Circle Diameter – The pitch circle diameter is the diameter of the pitch circle. The
size of the gear is usually specified by the pitch circle diameter. It is also called pitch
diameter. The pitch circle diameter is denoted by d’.
8. Pitch Point – The pitch point is a point on the line of centers of two gears at which two
pitch circles of mating gears are tangent to each other.
9. Top Land –The top land is the surface of the top of the gear tooth.
10. Bottom Land – The bottom land is the surface of the gear between the flanks of
adjacent teeth.
11. Involute – An involute is a curve traced by a point on a line as the line rolls without
slipping on a circle.
12. Base Circle – The base circle is an imaginary circle from which the involute curve of the
tooth profile is generated. The base circles of two mating gears are tangent to the
pressure line.
13. Addendum Circle –The addendum circle is an imaginary circle that borders the tops of
gear teeth in the cross section.

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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME
 14. Addendum (ha) – The addendum (ha) is the radial distance between the pitch and the
addendum circles. Addendum indicates the height of the tooth above the pitch circle.
15. Dedendum Circle – The dedendum circle is an imaginary circle that borders the bottom
of spaces between teeth in the cross section. It is also called root circle.
16. Dedendum (hf) – The dedendum (hf ) is the radial distance between pitch and the
dedendum circles. The dedendum indicates the depth of the tooth below the pitch circle.
17. Clearance (c) – The clearance is the amount by which the dedendum of a given gear
exceeds the addendum of its mating tooth.
18. Face of Tooth – The surface of the gear tooth between the pitch cylinder and the
addendum cylinder is called the face of tooth.
19. Flank of Tooth – The surface of the gear tooth between the pitch cylinder and the root
cylinder is called flank of the tooth
20. Face Width (b) – Face width is the width of the tooth measured parallel to the axis.
21. Fillet Radius – The radius that connects the root circle to the profile of the tooth is called
fillet radius.
22. Circular Tooth Thickness – The length of the arc on the pitch circle subtending a single
gear tooth is called circular tooth thickness. Theoretically, circular tooth thickness is half
of the circular pitch.
23. Tooth Space – The width of the space between two adjacent teeth measured along the
pitch circle is called the tooth space. Theoretically, tooth space is equal to circular tooth
thickness or half the circular pitch.
24. Working Depth (hk) – The working depth is the depth of engagement of two gear teeth,
that is, the sum of their addendums.
25. Whole Depth – The whole depth is the total depth of the tooth space, that is, the sum of
the addendum and dedendum. Whole depth is also equal to working depth plus
clearance.
26. Centre Distance – The center distance is the distance between centers of pitch circles
of mating gears. It is also the distance between centers of base circles of mating gears.
27. Pressure Angle – The pressure angle is the angle which the line of action makes with
the common tangent to the pitch circles. The pressure angle is also called the angle of
obliquity. It is denoted by a.
28. Line of Action – The line of action is the common tangent to the base circles of mating
gears. The contact between the involute surfaces of mating teeth must be on this line to
give a smooth operation. The force is transmitted from the driving gear to the driven gear
on this line.
29. Arc of Contact – The arc of contact is the arc of the pitch circle through which a tooth
moves from the beginning to the end of contact with mating tooth.
30. Arc of Approach – The arc of approach is the arc of the pitch circle through which a
tooth moves from its beginning of contact until the point of contact arrives at the pitch
point.
31. Arc of Recess – The arc of recess is the arc of the pitch circle through which a tooth
moves from the contact at the pitch point until the contact ends.
32. Contact Ratio (mp) – The number of pairs of teeth that are simultaneously engaged is
called contact ratio.
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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME
 33. Circular Pitch – The circular pitch (p) is the distance measured along the pitch circle
between two similar points on adjacent teeth.
34. Diametral Pitch – The diametral pitch (P) is the ratio of the number of teeth to the pitch
circle diameter.
35. Module – The module (m) is defined as the inverse of the diametral pitch.

Analysis:
1. Center Distance, C

2. Diameter, Teeth and Speed Relations

3. Speed and Gear Ratio

4. Diametral Pitch, Pd

5. Circular Pitch, Pc

6. Module, m

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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME
 7. English Module,

8. Power Transmitted by Spur Gears

9. Strength of Spur Gears

10. Transmitted Loads, Ft

• Modified Lewis Equations (Vallance):

a. For ordinary industrial gears operating at velocities up to 2000 feet per minute:

b. For accurately cut gears operating at velocities up to 4000 feet per minute:

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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME
 c. For precision gears cut with a high degree of accuracy and operating at velocities
of 4000 feet per minute and over.

11. Dynamic Load on Gear Teeth (Vallance)

12. Gear tooth Proportions 14 ½, 20, and 25-degree Pressure Angle

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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME
 13. Internal Gears

Examples:
A Mitsubishi car transmission has two spur gears in mesh having a velocity ratio of 1.4.
The number of teeth in the driven gear is 36 and the diametral pitch of 3.
1. Determine the number of teeth in the driving gear. (Ans. 26)
2. Determine the pitch diameter of pinion. (8.67 in.)
3. Find the pitch diameter of gear. (12 in.)
4. Find the center distance. (10.3 in.)
5. What is the estimated value of circular pitch of pinion? (Ans. 1.047 in.)
6. What is the estimated value of circular pitch of gear? (Ans. 1.047 in.)

Assessment:

Answer the following:

A machine shop in Cebu City fabricated a pair of spur gear 2.5 module and to be
mounted on shaft with a centerline distance of 90 mm. The speed ratio required is 3:1.
1. Determine the pitch diameter of pinion (mm).
2. Determine the pitch diameter of gear (mm).
3. Fin the number of teeth of pinion.
4. Find the number of teeth of gear.
5. What is the expected circular pitch of pinion?
6. What is the expected circular pitch of gear?
7. What is addendum?
8. What is dedendum?
9. Compute the clearance (mm).
10. Compute the whole depth (mm).
11. What is the estimated value of working depth (mm)
12. What is the expected backlash (mm)?
13. Find the tooth thickness (mm).
14. Find the tooth space width (mm).
15. Determine the outside diameter of pinion (mm).
16. Determine the outside diameter of gear (mm).
17. Find the root diameter of pinion (mm).
18. Find the root diameter of gear (mm).
19. Calculate the base diameter of pinion considering 20o pressure angle (mm).
20. Calculate the base diameter of gear considering 20o pressure angle (mm).
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SUBJECT: MEEN 30223 – MACHINE ELEMENTS 2
PREPARED BY: JHAY AHR C. FLORES, ME